Liverpool Vs Everton | Pienaar receives red card for second yellow

Description of incident: After escaping a red card earlier in the game, Pienaar eventually received his marching orders deep into injury time. He challenged for a header with Gerrard; Gerrard won the ball and ended up on the floor, clutching his head. The ref showed a second yellow, then red to Pienaar.

Date of Game: Saturday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Liverpool | Away Team: Everton

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: David Richardson & Darren Cann

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Liverpool | Loser: Everton

Players Involved: Steven Pienaar (Everton) & Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Summary: It was a challenge borne out of frustration as he was clearly late and video replays show he was also looking at the player, not the ball. This still doesn't explain to me why Gerrard went down holding his barnet, as Pienaar did not come anywhere near his head with any part of his body. Regardless, it was a stupid challenge and Pienaar has no one to blame for his red card other than himself. Right decision, second yellow & red card.

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Cheers,
WB

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Liverpool Vs Everton | Kyrgiakos receives red card

Description of incident: Fellaini was in control of the ball in the middle of the pitch but it was skipping tantalizingly away from him. Enough to tempt a challenge from Kyrgiakos. He was clearly on the ground, so it could not be classed as a high challenge, but it did appear two-footed. Fellaini also prepared for the contact and both players ended up in agonising heaps. As Kyrgiakos was just about to get back on his feet, the ref brandished a red card.

Date of Game: Saturday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Liverpool | Away Team: Everton

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: David Richardson & Darren Cann

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Everton | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool) & Marouane Fellaini (Everton)

Summary: The ball was racing away from Fellaini, so Kyrgiakos was entitled to attempt to win the ball. However, he clearly went in with both feet which is an illegal challenge deserving of a red card under the current laws. In his defence, video replays suggest that Fellaini also went in two-footed, he certainly came down dangerously on Kyrgiakos' shin - which the defender complained about after receiving his red. It was a strange one because I cannot ever recall seeing red cards given to two players for one tackle on each other - but maybe there was a case for it here. I've gone for right decision overall though, only one red card warranted.

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Cheers,
WB

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Liverpool Vs Everton | Pienaar high challenge on Mascherano receives yellow

Description of incident: Pienaar came in with a high challenge on Mascherano, connecting about knee high on the Argentine, leading with his studs. The ref gave a free kick to Liverpool and booked Steven Pienaar despite loud calls for a red card.

Date of Game: Saturday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Liverpool | Away Team: Everton

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: David Richardson & Darren Cann

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 3/5

Affect on Result: It would have put Everton down to ten men prior to Liverpool losing a man, so it's impossible to tell how different the game would have been had Pienaar received a red | Winner: Everton | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Steven Pienaar (Everton) & Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)

Summary: Pienaar's challenge was awful. I don't like seeing players sent off but, under the current guidelines, it had to be a straight red. Jamie Redknapp, commenting for Sky Sports, said he was amazed that it didn't result in a broken leg for Mascherano, which I think summarises what type of challenge it was. The ref bottled this one, maybe because it was the first major incident in the game, but he definitely got it wrong, it should have been red not yellow.



Cheers,
WB

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Bolton Vs Burnley | Elliot escapes red card for foul on Cohen

Description of incident: Tamir Cohen was challenged by Elliot as he passed the ball on. Cohen fell in a manor that suggested he was immediately hurt but the ref, who was right on the spot, waved play on. Which was lucky for Elliot, as he was already on a yellow card.

Date of Game: Tuesday 26th January 2010

Home Team: Bolton Wanderers | Away Team: Burnley

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: Dave Bryan & Jeremy Simpson

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: None | Winner: Burnley | Loser: Bolton Wanderers

Players Involved: Tamir Cohen (Bolton)& Wade Elliot (Burnley)

Summary: I thought this was another relatively easy decision. It was an absolutely atrocious challenge by Elliot which, in my eyes warranted a red card all of its own, but was certainly worthy of the second yellow it would have brought him. It was studs first, knee high. The more I think about it, the more confused I am that the ref got this wrong. It should have been a red card.

Cheers,
WB

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Bolton Vs Burnley | Lee shot crossed the line

Description of incident: The ball looped into the Burnley penalty area, arriving at the feet of the unmarked Lee. His shot cannoned off the bottom of the bar and bounced down & out of the goal. The ref judged that the ball had crossed the line and gave a goal to Bolton.

Date of Game: Tuesday 26th January 2010

Home Team: Bolton Wanderers | Away Team: Burnley

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: Dave Bryan & Jeremy Simpson

Decision Type: Goal line | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Bolton Wanderers | Loser: Burnley

Players Involved: Chung-Yong Lee (Bolton)

Summary: The ball was hit at some pace but it bounced way over the line, so this was a relatively easy decision for the ref. And he got it right.

Cheers,
WB

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Tottenham Vs Hull City | First Whistle Blower clean sheet

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Tottenham | Away Team: Hull City

Referee: Martin Atkinson | Linesman: Peter Kirkup & Phil Sharp

Summary: For the first time since I started this blog I have encountered a game where, from the highlights I've seen, there were no game-changing, debatable refereeing decisions. Therefore, I'll class this as a 'clean sheet' for the ref. Clean sheets all round then.

If you were at the game or have seen extended highlights and think I've missed something, drop me an email or tweet me and I'll do my best to track down a clip of the incident and update the site. Alternatively, post a comment below and open up the debate to a wider audience.

Cheers,
WB

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